Improvement in fifth-wheels for vehicles



o. G, WELLS, Fifth-Wheel for Vehicles.

Patented July1, 1879.

.fur lnulll.I

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. WELLS, OF PARKVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO PATRICK J. CHADWICK, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH-WHEELS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 216,988, dated July 1,41879; application le May 9, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. WELLS, of Parkville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure' lis a top View. Fig. 2is a side view from the rear of the axle. Fig. 3 is a view of the device in central vertical section.

The invention resides in certain useful peculiarities of constructionin that class of fifthwheels which dispense with a king-bolt.

The letter a denotes around plate, attached by bolts or clips to the axle ci', which I term the Laxle-plate. b denotes a similar but larger plate, attached to thehead-block b',which I term the head-block plate.77 c denotes an annnlus, attached. by bolts or screws d to the under side of head-block plate. The axleplate fits, lies, and rotates within this annulus. The lettere denotes an annular flange, attached to the under side of the annulus c by the l saine screws d. The annulus c and annular liange e may he made in one piece. This annular llange overlaps the axle-plate and holds it to place. The axle-plate bears a shoulder,

c, flttin g within and to the annular llange e.

The head-block plate is extended on one side to form the strap f, whereto to attach and thereby strengthen the wooden reach g.

Itis essential that the axle-plate be under the head-block plate, and that the annulus c and annular flange e shall be under and attached to the head-block plate. lf the positions were reversed dirt thrown on top of the device would constantly work down into the jointY or bearings of the parts and soon destroy their usefulness. This position of parts is also essential to permit the extension of the head-block plate into the strap f.

The letter Il denotes a screw-stop to an oilhole. Y

I claim as my invention- The axle-plate c, attached to the axle, the head-block plate b, extended into the strap f and 'attached to the head-block, and the annulns c and annular llan ge e, under arid attached to the head-block plate, all combined to operate substantially as shown and described.

CHAS. G. WELLS. Witnesses:

WM. E. SIMoNDs, RoBT. F. GAYLORD. 

